“My actions?” I all but exploded. “What about your fucking actions? If you’d been up front about what Lucian was and who he was working with, the damn sorcerer would not have grabbed the first key, nor would he have gained access to the second. That blame lays on your shoulders, not mine.”
“Indeed,” he continued darkly, as if I hadn’t spoken, “one could almost think you do not take my threat seriously.”
“That is not true —”
“And yet, you appear to fear the Raziq more than you do me. That cannot be allowed.”
I clenched my fingers against Amaya’s hilt, but resisted the urge to throw her into the haze of energy that was my father. I had no idea what that thread around Mirri’s neck was and, until I did, I had to practice restraint.
Thread bad, Amaya muttered.
I knew that without asking. Can you destroy it without hurting Mirri?
Know not, she replied. Taste first.
And if you taste it?
Kill might.
Mirri, or the thread?
Amaya hesitated. Both.
Then there’d be no tasting. “What the fuck have you done, Father?”
“If you wish this shifter to live, then you must not only retrieve the second key, but find the last one.”
“As I’ve repeatedly said, I can’t find the second key without your fucking help,” I spat back. “And I can hardly find the third key when you haven’t even told me where the fucking thing is.”
“I will send directions for the third key, and a means of getting into our temple rooms,” he said. “But the latter will require several hours to construct. You are not an initiate, so I will also have to create a means of circumventing that particular restriction. I suggest you use that time to search this plane for the sorcerer and the second key.”
“And if I don’t succeed in finding it, Mirri will die.” It was a statement, not a question. I don’t think I’ve hated anyone as much as I hated my father at that moment.
Except, perhaps, for Hunter.
“Yes. And there is one other restriction.”
My stomach was churning so badly it felt like I was going to throw up. It was enough that she could die – what the hell else could he do? But even as the thought crossed my mind, the answer came. He was Aedh, and Aedh, like reapers, could command souls. He could rip hers free and make her one of the lost ones – a ghost confined to the astral field, never to move on, never to be reborn. I licked dry lips and croaked, “Meaning?”
“The lariat will begin tightening at forty hours. At that time, she will have eight hours left.”
And with that, he was gone.
“Bastard!” Ilianna exploded, and swung around to face her mate. She touched a hand to Mirri’s cheek. “Are you okay?”
Mirri nodded, her face pale and fear in her eyes. “Yes. For now.”
I stopped beside Ilianna. “I’m sorry, Mirri, really sorry —” My voice faded. I seemed to be saying that an awful lot of late and, as ever, it was useless.
Mirri gave me a taut smile. “You can’t be held accountable for your father’s actions, Risa.”
No, but I could be held accountable for my own and if Mirri died… god, it would kill Ilianna. My gaze dropped to the thin cords of power around her neck and I raised a hand. Mirri hissed before I could actually touch it.
“Don’t,” she said quickly. “It tightens.”
I swore vehemently and glanced at Ilianna. “I don’t suppose hoping for some sort of magical intervention is worthwhile?”
Her gaze came to mine, green eyes filled with fury. Though it wasn’t aimed at me, I felt the force of it nevertheless. It would be unleashed my way if anything happened to Mirri.